☄️ Early space rocks filtered by gravity, study reveals
Early outer worlds in the Solar System formed from a highly filtered mix of materials, containing 83% to 92% rocky chondrules. This occurred in the young disc surrounding the system, where aerodynamic sorting separated rocky grains from ice-rich dust. Measurements on iron meteorites indicated the volatile-rich matrix levels were only between 8% and 17%, supporting this sorting began immediately. This sorting is significant because it means the first planetesimals had very little volatile-rich material compared to later bodies. The study concludes that aerodynamic sorting shaped planetesimal makeup from the very beginning. ☄️